Zenobia of Armenia explained

Consort:yes
Succession:Queen of Armenia
Reign:51–53
54–55
Spouse:Rhadamistus
Issue:unknown son
House:Pharnavazid dynasty
House-Type:Dynasty
Father:Mithridates of Armenia
Mother:daughter of Pharasmanes I
sister of Rhadamistus
Birth Place:Kingdom of Iberia
Death Date:1st century
Death Place:Kingdom of Armenia

Zenobia of Armenia (Georgian: ზენობია; fl. 1st century) was a royal Iberian princess of the Pharnavazid dynasty who was a Queen of Armenia from 51 to 53 and 54 to 55 during the reign of her husband, King Rhadamistus.[1]

Life

Zenobia was a daughter of King Mithridates of Armenia by his wife, a daughter of King Pharasmanes I of Iberia, who was Mithridates' own brother. At the same time, she was a wife of Rhadamistus who was Pharasmanes' son.[2] [3]

Zenobia's father Mithridates reigned in Armenia until her husband and Mithridates' nephew and son-in-law Rhadamistus usurped the Armenian throne by the sudden invasion. Her husband destroyed her entire family. Rhadamistus killed both of Zenobia's parents, her mother being Rhadamistus' own sister. Zenobia's brothers were also killed by Rhadamistus just because they were crying over their parents' death.

After execution of her entire family Rhadamistus became king in 51 and she became his queen. Armenians revolted soon after and, with the Parthian support of prince Tiridates I, forced both to flee back to Iberia.

According to Tacitus:[4]

Zenobia is said to have given birth to an unknown son from Rhadamistus in Armenia. Her and her child's later life is unknown. Her husband returning home to Iberia was soon, in 58, put to death as traitor by his own father Pharasmanes.[5] According to the historian Leo, Zenobia lived in Tiridates’ court until her death.[6]

In art

Paintings

Statues

Operas

Plays

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Toumanoff, p. 14
  2. Javakhishvili, p. 159
  3. Tacitus, XII, 46
  4. Tacitus, XII, 51
  5. Tacitus, XIII, 37
  6. Khachatrian, p. 46
  7. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Baudry, Paul Jacques Aimé". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  8. Wissman, Fronia E. (1996). Bouguereau. San Francisco: Pomegranate Artbooks. p. 12. .